WeChat for Windows Phone updated with a bunch of new features

The popular Windows Phone app WeChat has been updated to version 4.5.2. So what's been added since we last looked at the app back in July? Quite a fair bit actually. You can chat with friends in a walkie talkie session, search through chat history and more. There's no groundbreaking functionality that will blow your mind away, but there's enough included to keep the experience feeling fresh and updated.

Joining the walkie talkie and history search, WeChat also now sports the ability to locate nearby friends with the new "Hold Together" feature, which also enables you to add new folks easily. Finally, double tapping a message will view said content in full screen for that added immersion. As noted above, we've covered WeChat in the past and strongly recommend you all check the Windows Phone version out.

Should you wish to add yet another messaging app to your collection, you can download WeChat from the Windows Phone Store for free (available for both Windows Phone 7 and 8). Thanks, afgzee, for the tip!

I tried to download the new stickers and I was able to after this update. I couldn't previously. Glad it didn't have to be version 5.0 to get those stickers. I didn't like the new icon tho.. Should've stick with the original.

Hmm, not sure whose bug it is, apparently the newer wechat is certified to work with both WP8 & WP7.5!
These two versions were listed as 'works with' in the WP's Store.
Two questions:
1) can we, & how can we coerce WP7. 8 phone to install the 7.5 version as in the Store? I have a Lumia 900 which does not even have a SD card to aid sideload. not to mention that I am not a developer.
2) did Tencent forget to package one for WP7.8? Or it is the same package, except it's need to mark to 'work for' WP7.8 as well?

I've yet to see the advantages of using apps like these over the native messenger, in fact all I see are disadvantages - mainly that only some people use a chat app, and usually different ones. Whereas everyone can be contacted via the native messenger.

OK, if EVERYONE I knew used the same chat app... maybe.
But it still uses data for a simple text or voice call, I have unlimited text & voice but limited data - as do most people in the US, I suppose.
I was using Voxer for a little while (even though only about 5 friends/family used it), until I figured out that I could send voice messages through the native text messenger.
...
Just to clarify, I'm not knocking people for using these apps, I just don't get it.

I have around 100 contacts on Whatsapp and around 50 contacts regularly communicate with me using the app. There is a reason whatsapp and wechat are growing rapidly and have crossed 350 Million "Active" users :)

I guess that's why no one I know uses it here.
I can do all of those things with the native messenger and I have no need for international communications, so I don't have to worry about long distance fees.
Basically, from what you guys are saying, it's a good way to communicate internationally without all the fees.

i m from Mumbai (Bombay) India...i have over 200 people using WhatsApp from total of my 300 contacts... text message is paid here... i pay less than $2 for 300mb 3G per month...have wifi at home and work... i send unlimited text/ picture/ audio/ video messages unlimited on WhatsApp... and just burn around 20-30mb in entire month... i dont even remember when i did my last SMS... also i have my brothers working in middle east...i do group messaging with them... if i were to SMS them as often as i whatApp them...i wud be broke...

i think now u get the point of these messengers...i think this is the reason BBM was such a sensation as well... but u needed a blackbery phone and BIS subscription...Whats App, voxer, wechat are better than bbm as they are multi platform...
I think u shud get the point now...

Like I said in response to your first comment, I have no need for international communication. So I have no idea if it charges fees for overseas text/mms, but I'm sure it does.
I feel you guys are getting defensive. Like I said, I'm not knocking anyone for using these types of apps, I'm just trying to understand the appeal to see if its something I'm missing. So far, it's not.

Though most friends are on whatsapp, I hope they jump to wechat or other free services before my whatsapp account is up for renewal. Whatsapp better start accepting local payment gateways for subsscription.

Works worldwide, they extend it for 1 year. I have another 8 months left after the last extension and i am planning to pay this time as it is only $1 for such a useful app who are working a lot and providing many updates too. It just doesn't feel good not paying for so much hardwork by whatsapp team.

Skype serves a different purpose (video and voice chat) and as I believe BBM does not require heavy hardware to run smoothly...it could be integrated just like FB on WP. Its only for texting. I hope Skype will be improved once WP8.1 is released. As of now its getting better with the last couple of updates compare to when it was released on WP. Nokia chat powered by Yahoo is available on WP but I guess hardly anyone uses, once more users are available they will improve and come out of beta.

You are not misinformed... BBM is Live on iOS....used it on friends iPhone 4S...it was supposed to go live on androoid as well...but before that happened...android users, around 1.1 million of them downloaded its apk from outside the playstore and installed it...BB servers were not ready for such kind of activity before it went live on Play store...so BB delayed the official launch on droid...

Read the link I posted. It's only available in a few markets on iOS, they have postponed full release on iOS and all releases on Android.
I wouldn't be to eager to get it anyway, who knows what the situation with BlackBerry will be tomorrow.